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| 125 |
No ranked wrestlers here at 125 lbs, but don't let that deter you. There is still some solid talent here in Regional 2. Three spots available for qualification and in my opinion it'll come down to three of the four I have listed above. Tomah Gummow was an NCAA D3 qualifier last year as a freshman with a 3rd place Regional finish. 10-4 on the season, he won an Ithaca Invitational title & he nearly tech'd Dominic Terracciano 16-2. Evan Whiteside is 14-3 on the year, a AMCC champion. Terracciano was 6th the Regional a year ago. Jack Thode, 4th in the Regional last year has wrestled Gumow to both 6-5 & 4-2 decisions, while teching Terracciano 19-1 earlier this season.
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| 133 |
This is the kind of thing that rubs you wrong as a wrestling fan. Four guys all ranked in the top 20. Four guys who have earned it all season. Doesn't matter. Only three of these guys are headed to nationals & one of them is staying home. There's more than something about that, that isn't right. Matter of fact, there's nothing right about it at all. Nonetheless, it is the way it is.
Ironically enough, none of these guys have met this season. So, it'll be a first for all. Lucas Torres was a match shy of qualification last year. Trevor Cortright a former Utica Pioneer, finished one match shy of NCAA DIII qualification the last two years in a row. Now competing for SUNY-Oneonta, he is 15-2 on the year, now a two-time SUNY-Athletic Conference champion.
More irony? Sure. Both Jay McDonnell & Bobby Gardner are former NCAA DI athletes. McDonnell a former Binghamton Bearcat with a current record of 24-2. Gardner, 13-0 on the year, a former Clarion Golden Eagle.
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| 141 |
Go back and read the first paragraph I wrote concerning 133 lbs. Now take that by about 1,000. That's 141 lbs, Regional 2. SIX ranked wrestlers in the top 20! SIX! And three of them are staying home this year! Insane!
An NCAA D3 qualifier in 2023, Nico Diaz at 22-1 on the year looks to be our *1 seed. Titles won at both the Middle Atlantic Conference & the MSOE Invite, he has a total of four wins over Isaias Torres, albeit all of them have been very close. He also owns a very close 4-3 victory over Avery Leonard & he owns a 9-2 decision over Dean Costantino.
Isaias Torres is a three-time NCAA DIII qualifier with Regional finishes of 1st-2nd-1st, R12-7th-R12 at the NCAA D3 Championships. Despite four closes losses to Diaz, he did get him once in a 5-2 decision. He also owns both a 3-1 & 7-2 decision over Danny Haws, defeating Kaden Ware in two close 4-1 & 4-2 decisions, one of them a tiebreaker. A 13-4 major over Leonard.
Leonard, one match shy of qualification last year, is 25-4 on the year. Champion at Wilkes & the New York States, he is a two time SUNY-Athletic Conference runner-up. Owns a 6-4 decision over Diaz.
Haws? Another three-time NCAA D3 qualifier. 3rd-3rd-1st the past three Regionals. 23-10 on the year, a 4-1 decision over Costantino. The past three seasons I called him easily one of the best wrestlers yet to All-American at the D3 level. Now he's in a situation where now isn't the time to concern yourself with being top 8. The focus at the moment is top 21.
Ware & Costantino 11-1 & 18-8 respectively on the season.
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| 149 |
Former Cornell Big Red, Cole Handlovic is currently 19-0 on the year. I know when I mention some former DI wrestlers now competing D3, fans sometimes think guys that rode the bench occasionally taking beatings here and there. NOT the case with Handlovic. We're talking a series of wins over multiple NCAA DI qualifiers including Jason Miranda, Max Brignola, Cesar Alvan & Ty Whalen. This isn't just some third stringer who could never make the line up. This is a guy, if he were still in DI, would easily be in the top 33. I think that's an important distinction to make when discussing the Middle Atlantic Conference champion.
Here to challenge him for a title will be last year's Regional champ, as well as D3 runner-up, Angelo Centrone. 12-1 on the year, looking to defend his Regional gold.
As to bronze? I predict a consolation final between Trevor Bishop & Jackson Maby. I am aware that when these two met a year ago, Maby took it to Bishop in an 11-0 major. However, it is very clear at 20-2 on the year, Bishop is a much improved wrestler. Regardless of the outcome, I see it being a much closer contested match.
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| 157 |
Silver & Bronze are yet to be determined but I'm pretty confident that gold is already spoken for. Three-time Regional champion Ryan Smith will be going for his fourth regional title this weekend. 8th-6th-7th in the D3 nation, he has had one heck of a good career for the Ducks. Also including 2nd-1st-1st-2nd finishes at the Middle Atlantic Conference championships. He is 20-4 on the year, an 11-2 win over Jaryn Hartranft & 8-2 over Tyler Rossini.
Hartranft is looking for his fourth Regional placing in his own right. An NCAA D3 qualifier in 2024, he's been 5th-2nd-4th at the regionals. Already 40 matches under his belt this season, he stands at 33-5. 4th at Pete Willson & a Ned McGinley champion.
Although unranked, both Tyler Rossini & Kobin Karper are not only threats for the bronze medal, but they're also threats to the silver as well. Matter of fact, Rossini WAS a silver medalist at last year's Regional, R12 at D3's. 25-5 on the year, he was runner up at both Wilkes & the New York States, taking 3rd at Messiah. Owns an 11-7 decision over Hartranft.
Karper 14-3 on the year, owns a 4-0 decision over Rossini & he took Hartranft into sudden victory.
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| 165 |
As to 165 lbs Regional 2, I'm pretty sure this is going to be our final. 10-0 on the year, 3rd in the Regional last year, Kaiden Wagner is a clear favorite to be this year's champion. Especially considering the fact that I feel that Carter Davis has established himself the second best wrestler in the Regional at 165. Wagner nearly tech'd Davis 14-1 earlier this year.
Despite that not so purdy loss, Davis has been wrestling very well this season. 23-3 on the year, he won titles at both the Ithaca Invitational & the AMCC. He was one match shy of being a D3 qualifier last year.
As to 3rd place? It's the wild, wild west as far as I'm concerned. Truly anybody's for the taking. Parity and result says so.
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| 174 |
Both Regional runner-ups last season, I believe between Konrad Parker & Nolen Zeigler one of these guys is gonna be a Regional champion this year. Zeigler also D3 R12, is currently 24-2 on the season. Parker is 33-4, with titles won at both the Ithaca Invitational & the SUNY-Athletic Conference.
Short & sweet, that's my analysis at 174. Like 184, I believe the rest of the field is going to duke it out for that third and final spot that secures a trip to the national tournament.
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| 184 |
Right back to where we were when talking 133 & 141. Way more than three quality, qualifier material wrestlers & only three spots for them.
3rd-2nd-1st in the Regional thus far, with D3 All-American finishes of 7th & 3rd, I'd be the farm on Jack Ryan being one of those three. 12-1 on the season, he has wins over Sean Malenfant, Eli Crum & Xavier Pommels. All fairly well controlled.
Malenfant has been rather admirable this season. 5th in the D3 nation back in 2024, he has been the heart and the soul of the Alfred State Pioneer wrestling program in '25-'26. Taking on all comers & wrestling as much as he can, he's currently 38-4. Titles at the New Standard & the AMCC, he was 2nd at the Williams Open & 3rd at the New York States. He's actually beaten Ryan in the past, on two occasions & he owns a 1:44 pin over Pommels.
Crum 20-3 on the year, was one match shy of qualification a year ago. 2nd at the RIT.
MacIlroy is the newcomer to the group & a dangerous one at that. The freshman owns a 20-4 record.
Lastly, don't for a minute let the U.R. next to his name fool you. Again D3 wrestling is 126 (or more?) teams & we only rank the top 20. Pommels IS qualifier material. If placing 2nd here last year & 8th in the D3 nation doesn't prove it, maybe a 4:51 fall over Crum does. 2nd at New Standard, he more recently won the SUNY-Athletic Conference.
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| 197 |
An NCAA DIII qualifier in 2024, I would look for Ryan Galka to be the *1 seed this weekend, although I wouldn't necessarily consider him a shoe-in for the title. Currently 19-4 on the year, he won the New York States.
Here to give him a heaping helping of competition will be Carson LiCastri & Braydon Vandenberg. LiCastri was an NCAA DIII qualifier himself last year, 3rd in the Regional. Titles won at Wilkes, RIT & the SUNY-Athletic Conference, he was 3rd at the New York States. 24-6 on the year.
Vandenberg, 18-4, has defeated LiCastri twice & he gave Galka a tight 4-2 match.
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| #3 Josh Harkless R.I.T. HWT |
A mystery as to who's gonna finish 2nd and a mystery as to who's gonna finish 3rd. Ain't not mystery as to who's gonna finish 1st. 8th and 3rd in the D3 nation so far & a Regional champion last year, Josh Harkless is 37-3 on the year. Two of those losses to D1 opponents at the Midlands, where he placed 7th!! The other to a D2 opponent (who by the way was a two-time DI qualifier before transferring himself). Titles won at Ned McGinley, New York States & R.I.T., look for Harkless to add some more gold to his collection.
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